Mail receptacle



Feb. 5, 1924,

J. M. CAHAN MAIL RECEPTAGLE' Filed Nov. 11, 1922 I1 l.rl| Illlllllllilllllllll b g 00 a flfitor ey Patented Feb. 5, 1924-.

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Application filed s e t r 11,1922. semi No. 590,254.

T 0 a??- 1072 am it may concern Be it known that l JACOB lVLCAHAn, ,a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail Receptacles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to mail receptacles, and it relates more particularlyto thattype of mail receptacle comprising a box-like structure adapted to be secured on. thein s ide surface of a door adjacent the usual mail slot for the purpose of receiving and holdiilng the mail which is inserted through the sot.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved form of mail receptacleofthe type adapted to be mountedon the inside surface of a door adjacent the usual mail slot which will be simple and inexpensive,

yet will have features of convenience tothe user and will be adaptable for useunder various circumstances. More specifically considered, my invention contemplates the provision of abort-like receptacle-open at the top and on the side toward the surface of the door to which the same is adapted to be secured, and thecprovision, in ,a receptacle of said type,.of a slot in the rear wall thereof of peculiar conformatiom affording .more ready and convenient access to the contents of the box, yetinsuringthe retentionof the mail which is inserted therein through the door slot. My invention further contemplates an arrangement whereby the box will be adaptable, withoutalteration for attachient, under various circumstances, ,having provision, for instance, for accommodating the same to doors having projecting plates orpanels adjacent the mail slot.

The nature and characteristic features of my invention will be more readily understood from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, in which Figure 1 is a rear elevation of a mail receptacle embodying the main features of my present invention;

Fig. 2 is a horizontal section thereof taken on the line 2-2) of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical central section thereof; and

Fig. 4 is a front elevation thereof that is to say, looking toward the side which is attached to the inside surface of the door.

Referring to the drawings, in theparticu- ,lar embodiment of my invention therein shown, the mail receptacle comprises a box like structure having a rear wall 5, side walls 6 and 7, and a bottom 8 The structure is open at the top, and preferably there is no wall provided on the side which is attached to the inside surface of the door. The side walls 6 and 7 and the bottom 82 are provided with projecting flanges 9 onthe margins thereof which are adjacent the door when the receptacle is in position thereon. The flanges 9 are provided with screw holes 10, for the purpose of attaching the receptacle to the door 11 by means of screws 12- or other suitable fastening devices.

T he rear wall 5 is provided with a vertical slot oropening 16, relatively narrow at the recessed, as at 13, near the top and along the inside margins thereof, and consequently the flanges 9 also terminate some distance be low the top of the receptacle. The cut out portions 13 are provided so that, in the event of projecting panels or slot plates being located on the inside surface of the door 11, the box may be properly positioned upon the door notwithstanding.

The marginal edges of the wall 5, surrounding the slot or opening 16, as well as the top marginal edges of said wall 5 and the top marginal edges of the side walls 6 and 7, are turned over as at 14:, so as to provide a smooth, safe edge at all places where the hands ,ofthe user'are likely to come in contact with the same.

The receptacle is mounted on the inside surface of the door, in back of the usual mail slot 15, and positioned with the top marginal edges of the rear wall 5 and side walls 6 and 7 of the box located a slight distance above the mail slot, whereby the narrow portion of the slot or opening 16 in the rear wall 5, will be disposed opposite the mail slot 15.

The bottom 8 of the receptacle is provided with an aperture 18, of relatively small size, to permit the ready removal of any dirt which may accumulate in the interior of the receptacle.

By the foregoing arrangement there will be provided a simple and inexpensive, yet very efficient, form of mail receptacle which is adapted to be mounted on the inside surface of doors of various types, the box being so arranged on the said inside surface of the door that the narrow portion of the slot or opening 16 in the rear wall 5 may be disposed opposite the mail slot 15, so that pieces of mail which are inserted through the mail slot will be properly retained within the receptacle, yet by reason of the widening of the slot or opening 16 toward the bottom thereof, the user may have convenient and free access to the contents of the box for the purpose of removing the same.

Having thus described the nature and characteristic features of my invention, what .I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A mail receptacle adapted to be attached to the inside surface of a door adjacent the usual mail slot comprising a unitary box-like structure open at the top and on the side toward the door, the rear wall of said structure being provided with a slot or opening extending from the top downward and terminating above the bottom, of said structure, said slot or opening being relatively narrow at the top and wider at the bottom thereof, and means for attaching the structure to the door.

2. A mail receptacle adapted to be attached to the inside surface of a door adjacent the usual mail slot comprising a unitary box-like structure open at the top and on the side toward the door, the rear wall of said structure being provided with a slot or opening extending from the top.

downward and terminating above the bottom of said structure, said slot or opening being relatively narrow at the top and wider at the bottom thereof, the side walls of the structure being cut out or recessed at their jacent the usual mail slot comprising a unitary box-like structure open. at the top and on the side toward the door, the rear wall of said structure being provided with a slot or opening extending from the top downward and terminating above the bottom of said structure, said slot or opening being relatively narrow at the top and wider at the bottom thereof, the side walls of the structure being cut out or recessed at their inner top portions, and flanges extending from the walls for attaching the structure to the door.

4. A mail receptacle adapted to be at tached to the inside surface of a door adjacent the usual mail slot comprising a unitary box-like structure open at the top and on the side toward the door, the rear Wall of said structure being provided with a slot or opening extending from the top downward and terminating above the bottom of said structure, said slot or opening being relatively narrow at the top and wider at'the bottom thereof, the side walls of the structure being cut out or recessed at their inner top portions, and the side walls and bottom being provided with flanges having apertures for the passage of fastening means for attaching the structure to the door.

5. A mail receptacle adapted to be at tached to the inside surface of a door adjacent the usual mail slot comprising a unitary box-like structure open at the top and on the side toward the door, the rear wall of said structure being provided with a slot or opening extending from the top downward and terminating above the bottom of said structure, said slot or opening being relatively narrow at the top and wider at the bottom thereof, the side walls of the structurebeing cut out or recessed at their inner top portions, the side walls and bottom being provided with flanges having apertures for the passage of fastening means for attaching the structure to the door, and the bottom being provided with an aperture for cleansing purposes. I

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name.

JACOB M. CAHAN. 

